Cooks Calendar for April 2

CSFA Farm Tour Kick-Off Event 6-9 p.m. Thursday, April 3, at City Roots. Local chefs Travis Rayle (Rosso), Howard Stephens (The Oak Table), Charley Scruggs (The Oak Table), Gordon Langston (Bourbon) and Krisitan Niemi (Rosso and Bourbon) will be pairing plates with beers from River Rat Brewery in celebration and benefit of the Midlands Farm Tour. Tickets $80 per person, available at eventbrite.com, includes cocktail, five courses and beer; gratuity not included.

Place your orders now for the Lions Club of Blythewood Vidalia Onion sale. $11 for a 10 pound bag, proceeds help the community with eye exams, glasses, hearing aides and eye surgeries. Call (803) 261-4758 or (803) 718-0701.

Wear your best pajamas for a cause!PJs and Pearls Brunch to benefit Sistercare, Inc. is 10:30 a.m. to noon Saturday, April 5, at Southern Occasions, 137 North Oak Street in Batesburg-Leesville. Hosted by the Woman’s Society of Batesburg-Leesville, enjoy a brunch of Parmesan cheese grits, greens, salad, mimosas, coffee punch, French toast cupcakes and much more. Tickets $10 per person, available by calling (8030 413-2437 or email Lois Black at loisblack@sc.rr.com.

Midlands SC Farm Tour is scheduled for 1-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, featuring 10 local sustainable farms in Richland, Lexington and Kershaw counties. Come out and bring the family to see baby farm animals, learn gardening and growing techniques, enjoy a farm-fresh picnic or snack and see where your food comes from. Tickets $25 per vehicle, good for both days, available online at http://www.carolinafarmstewards.com/mft or at Whole Foods Market and City Roots. Want to volunteer? The Upstate SC Farm Tour with farms in Greenville, Spartanburg, Oconee, Anderson, Pickens, Laurens and Greenwood counties is June 7-8.

Tour and Tasting at Columbia Museum of Art. Doug Aylard, of Vino Garage, introduces Asian-inspired wines and Japanese sakes and CMA Education manager Kayleigh Vaughn walks you through the museum’s Japan and the Jazz Age exhibition. 6 p.m. Thursday, April 3. Tickets $65 for non-members, $55 for CMA members.

West Wateree Rotary Wild Game Dinner and Silent Auction Saturday, April 5 at Old McCaskill Farm in Rembert. This event will raise money for college scholarships for graduating Lugoff-Elgin High School students. Tickets $35 per person, $65 per couple and are available at First Community Bank, Mid Carolina Credit Union or First Citizens Bank in Kershaw County. Contact Amy Schofield, (803) 427-6420 or amys@kershawcountylibrary.org for more information.

It’s All About Herbs Festival, 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday, April 5 at Lexington County Museum. Free event featuring plant sale, bake sale, seminars, demonstrations and a silent auction and raffle. Proceeds to help fund a scholarship for a qualified student in Lexington County pursuing an education in horticulture; maintain the Colonial Garden at the museum and provide professional herbalists to educate the community on the use of herbs for cooking, growing, crafting and medical usage. Information at www.facebook.com/theherbbunch

Champagne and Pearls: An evening with Mikimoto at Columbia Museum of Art. 6 p.m. April 10, reception to follow. Mikimoto is synonymous with the pearl and recognized internationally as a symbol of excellence in fine jewelry. Join CMA and Sylvan Jewelers for an evening with Mikimoto (American) Ltd. senior vice president Aaron C. Reed as he tells the story of Kokichi Mikimoto and his vision of adorning “the necks of all the women of the world in pearls.” Champagne and scotch reception and Mikimoto trunk show follows lecture. Tickets $40, $30 for CMA members.

Slow Food at Indie Grits Sustainable Chefs Showcase will be 3-6 p.m. April 13 at 711 Whaley. Chefs must feature at least one locally, sustainably produced major ingredient in their dish as they compete for the most delicious bite. Participating restaurants include Terra, Motor Supply Co. Bistro, Rosso Trattoria, Bourbon, Baan Sawan Thai Bistro, Spotted Salamander Catering, Rosewood Market and Deli, Scott Hall Catering, The Oak Table, Saluda’s and Tombo Grille. Tunes and cash bar by The Whig, featuring wine and local craft beers. Tickets $20 for general admission; $15 for Slow Food USA and Nickelodeon members; $10 for Potluck participants. Join in the Potluck by bringing in a dish (roughly 20 small portions) made with at least one sustainable, local ingredient. Information and tickets at indiegrits.com

Wine for Water fundraiser for the Gills Creek, Rocky Branch and Smith Branch watershed associations 6-8 p.m. April 22 at Senate’s End. Enjoy food from local restaurants, wines from around the world and great deals at the silent auction. Tickets $25 for association members, $35 for non-members, $40 for a special ticket and membership package, available at www.wine4water2014.eventbrite.com or call Erich Miarka at (803) 727-8326.

Middleton Place weekly Wine Strolls have returned. Experience the natural beauty of the 273-year-old plantation while sipping wines chosen by the Middleton Place Restaurant’s sommelier 6-8 p.m. every Wednesday through June 25. On June 25, learn about the Charleston-Barbados connections through the Rum Stroll featuring a variety of light, dark and spiced rums. Tickets to Wine Strolls are $20 per person in advance, $25 at the gate and are available at www.middletonplace.org or call (843) 556-6020.

Sip some cider: Windy Hill Orchard & Cidery, near York, will be open for Hard Cider tastings weekends in April and May. Stop by 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Saturdays and noon-6 p.m. on Sundays at 1860 Black Highway, York (look for the windmill). More information at windyhillorchard.com or call (803) 684-0690.

Peak of the Season GrowFood Party 5:30-8:30 p.m. April 30 at the GrowFood Warehouse, 990 Morrison Drive, Charleston. Enjoy local food and libations and learn more about the GrowFood concept of connecting local farmers to local markets and creating a thriving local food system. Tickets $35, available through eventbrite.com

Food, Fire and Fun Whole Cow Roast ... BOVINOCHE! New name, lower price, more fire, more food. Bovinoche (Night of the Bovine) is where you will see a custom-built rotisserie for an 800-pound cow as well as roasting goats, hogs, chickens and some exotic meats. Main event 3-10:20 p.m. May 17 at City Park, 310 West Curtis Street, Simpsonville (next to the Police Station), tickets $35 per person through eventbrite.com or $30 at The Community Tap, 205 Wade Hampton Blvd, Greenville; Bee Bee’s Restaurant, 1907 Laurens Rd., Greenville; or Simpsonville Area Chamber of Commerce, 211 N. Main St, Simpsonville. Become a sponsor and enjoy Friday night (May 16) activities that include roasting a whole swordfish. More information at www.facebook.com/Bovinoche or www.bovinoche.com.

Our Local Catch,

Recycle that cooking oil.Richland Countythe city of Columbia’s Southern Fried Fuel recycling program

Competitions

Columbia Warrior Cook-Off is a new barbeque competition sanctioned and judged by the S.C. Barbeque Association on May 24 at the State Fairgrounds. Prizes will be awarded to the top five barbeque cooking teams. The competition is open to the first 75 teams to properly complete the entry process by May 9 and be accepted. Cock Pit Barbeque, organizer of this event, seeks donations and sponsorships; proceeds from this event will go to the Wounded Warrior Project. More information at http://www.cockpitbarbeque.com or www.facebook.com/CockPitBarbeque or call Brooks Herring at (803) 269-4167. Downloadable entry and sponsorship forms linked to this article at thestate.com

Is your dish good enough to get “On the Menu”? TNT has begun production of a new cooking competition show where home cooks will be challenged to create the next signature dish for a national dining institution. “On the Menu” will be hosted by Ty Pennington (“Trading Spaces,” “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition”) and contestants will be mentored by Chef Emeril Lagasse (“Emeril Live,” “Top Chef”). Amateur cooks will work with professional chefs to create dishes for that week’s selected restaurant chain, stadium concession stand or other American food business. The winning dish immediately foes on the business’s menu, giving viewers at home the chance to try the dish the very next day. Interested in competing? Email onthemenucasting@gmail.com

Sundays at City Roots join Matthew Kip, permaculturist, wild food forager and artisan, for a series of classes geared to the beginning gardener to be held at City Roots farm, 1005 Airport Blvd. April 13, getting started with organic gardening; May 11, composting; April 12, 17 and May 25, edible plant walk; June 1, cob oven workshop. More information and registration at www.matthewkip.com

Tiny TasteBuds cooking classes for children ages 3-5 years at EdVenture are 11 a.m.-noon the first and third Friday of each month now through May. $10 per person, preregistration required. EdVenture is at 211 Gervais St., (803) 779-3100, edventure.org